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Author UK Trip Report
larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/24/2006 5:43:03 PM
I'm going to try to add a little add to this each day as there is no way to write it in one sitting. I'm going to briefly comment on each major coaster and point out other highlights of the 12 day trip.

First off I want to state that this is the best vacation I have ever been on. The Alveys from Theme Park Review really put their heart and soul into this experience to make it top notch. I will certainly go on some of there future trips and suggest that others strongly consider the option also.

While I love coasters I also jumped at the opportunity to experience many rides no longer in the states and numerous dark rides.

Of course with 50 some-odd people on the trip there are bound to be personality clashes and no everyone agrees with everyone else, but you know something, you have to deal with that every day in the real world.

Day 0 - June 9th - many participants who arrived early decided to pay extra to visit Legoland but I decided to rest since I had taken an overnight flight

Day 1 - June 10th - Chessington World of Adventures - starts off with one hour or ERT on Vampire and Dragon's Fury.

Vampire is a Arrow Suspended model refitted with Vekoma trains. It rivals Big Bad Wolf in theming. The ride runs through many trees and the cars (versus the typical buckets) make for a better swinging motion and I rate this as my favorite suspended coaster. I only rode twice because the next coaster was so good.

Dragon's Fury is a spinning coaster and an excellent one at that. It a little longer than any in the US at almost 1,800 feet. The track is not compact and weaves through a couple of rides and a kid's section. After to first drop there is a high horseshoe that really get the spinning started on the cars. Many of the drops also feature good air. This ride really surprised a lot of people of the trip. I rode about 12 times.

The other coaster to note is Rattlesnake. A wild mouse that is very well themed in a western motif. You weave in and out of some fake buildings and the ride has good drops with air and tight hairpin turns.

Other rides of note:
Bubbleworks - a dark water ride featuring rubber ducks. While not thrilling the final room where your tub goes underneath numerous water spouts is aesthetically beautiful
Billy's Whizzer - looks like a typical YoYo swing but with a twist. The ride op controls water spouts that shoot streams of water straight up from the ground on the the riders
Roger's Dodgems - a bumper car arena with some very hard hitting cars. I came away with bruises and also lifted another car or two off the ground through hard hits.
Tomb Blaster - a shooting dark ride themed to an Egyptian archaeological dig. The guns are a little too heavy and the triggers are tight making it a tiring ride because it is so long. A very good ride.
Carousel - while I'm not a carousel fan this one had a spinning car so I took the opportunity to ride and spin myself silly
The other highlight is a walkthrough zoo that can also be viewed from a monorail called the Safari Skyway.
Some of the other rides I experienced were: Ramses Revenge (Topspin without water), Peeking Heights (a weak Ferris Wheel), Dragon Falls (a well landscaped flume with no action), Griffin Galleon (a Rockin Tug), Runaway Train (Family coaster), Black Buccaneer (swinging ship) and Toadies Crazy Cars (an antique car ride themed to Wind in the Willows).

The park has eight sections and while each section only has 2-4 rides, each section is well themed.

That night the coach made a surprise stop on the way to Oakwood at a small seaside park called Coney Beach.

Coney Beach was pretty dumpy but had three coasters: Mega Blitz (Pinfari), Nessi (family coaster) and Happy Gator. Happy Gator is a kiddie coaster that we convinced the ride op to allow<
Message updated 7/1/2006 11:55:16 PM by larrygator
BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001

Rank: Site Moderator
6/24/2006 11:08:06 PM
Nice report Larry. I had never even seen photos from Chessington until people uploaded them from this trip, and it really looks like a nice park. Thats so cool that you and Rich have raved about Spinball Whizzer.

Quote:
First off I want to state that this is the best vacation I have ever been on.

That's great to hear. I'm glad they decided to do more trips, I hope I can participate next year.

Its interesting to hear that Megafobia disappointed - I really liked Rampage and was looking forward to it the most of all the woodies on the trip, Balder removed.

I AM, however, suprised that you weren't one of the ones paying off kids

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Message updated 6/24/2006 11:09:35 PM by BobFunland
larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/25/2006 12:17:57 AM
Chessington's Dragon's Fury not Alton Tower's Spinball Whizzer is the spinning coaster Rich and I both love.

I didn't have to pay the kids. When we saw others being denied we just decided to go back later in the today in hopes that the Alveys would have the park manager address the situation.
BobFunland
Posts: 7962
Registered: 8/9/2001

Rank: Site Moderator
6/25/2006 2:33:47 PM
Sorry, my mistake.

In reading your report, am I crazy for thinking that the parks you guys went to seem to have an abundance of dark rides?

Glad you liked Air a lot, that one always seems to me to have mixed response.
hrrytraver
Posts: 1270
Registered: 7/16/2005

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/26/2006 12:46:36 AM
sounds like the "charlie and the chocolate factory" ride missed an opportunity to have a psychotic bad acid trip like the boat ride scene in the original gene wilder movie, which was totally frantic and upset the hell out of me as a kid.

thanks for all the detailed infomation, larry. please don't hesitate to discuss interesting meals and other miscellanea, 'cause i like reading that stuff too.

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"I note your distress at my floccinaucinihilipilification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty." jesse helms 1999
Message updated 6/26/2006 12:48:49 AM by hrrytraver
RCGenius
Posts: 1180
Registered: 12/23/2004

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/26/2006 7:44:31 AM
Excellent TR so far larrygator. It seems like you're having a great time at all of these European parks. I'm envious of you right now lol because I wish that I was down there with ya'll enjoying international coasters so I could brag about it towards my friends.
larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/26/2006 2:03:50 PM
RC Genius - don't be envious, it was fun while it lasted, but I'm back at work now and miserable that the trip is over.

hrrytraver - I decided to not be an inventive eater and the only unique thing I ate was "Toad in a Hole". It was simply sausage encased in a bread with brown gravy of top. The pizza and burgers I had at the park (even if it was Burger King, McDocnalds or Pizza Hut) did not taste as good as the US. I only want to topline the park visits or else it write-up will become too big
larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/28/2006 11:50:36 PM
Hey everybody - just want to let everybody know I have 8 days of the UK trip posted as TRs and only need to add Thorpe Park, Tusenfryd and Liseberg
Timberman
Posts: 845
Registered: 9/21/2004

Rank: Gold Critic
6/29/2006 2:22:04 AM
Jolly good trip report, old chap. Looking forward to hearing about Balder. Brer's Burrow sounds a bit like the Mermaid Parade.
coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/29/2006 4:41:04 PM
So it was somehow my fault that you didn't do the waterride at Flamingoland, even though I rode Ripsaw(twice) and you put me on that death trap at Flamingoland. You know you just had to apply a little peer pressure and I would crumble.

I believe you punishment for not accepting your responsibility is a mystery dump in your backpack when we go to Spain. Oh yeah one day closed confinement with the stinky people also.

BTW great trip report.
larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/30/2006 3:05:58 PM
Rich - the day you are not eager to get on a water ride feels like the end on the world. I thought you might be at that time of the month

Next time I'll just go ride it with the stinky people, Jeesh
coaster05
Posts: 6207
Registered: 2/29/2004

Rank: Platinum Critic
6/30/2006 11:05:49 PM
Honestly I thought you were not that interested. Had I known you wanted to try I would have been more than happy to splash in that muck. I will remember this conversation as we venture through the Spanish and Italian water rides.
larrygator
Posts: 4654
Registered: 11/7/2002

Rank: Platinum Critic
7/2/2006 1:02:24 PM
For those keeping track the UK portion of the Trip Report is complete I will start a new thread for the Scandanavian parks (Tusenfryd and Liseberg) to have a more accurate Thread Title
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